Gearboxes operating in high temperature environments such as in gas turbine engines must be configured to preclude excessive heat generation by the gearing itself, and therefore, lubricant for cooling the gears is circulated outside the gearbox for heat exchange. Lubricant churning resulting from lubricant particles being thrown at a high velocity by the rotating equipment and impacting on parts in the gearbox, also contributes to lubricant heat rise. Therefore, baffle apparatuses are used, for example for peripherally surrounding the gears, to divert the splashing lubricant particles. Nevertheless, efforts have been continuing for improved baffle apparatuses and methods for reducing lubricant churning in the gearbox of gas turbine engines.
Accordingly there is a need for an improved method for reducing lubricant churning in a gearbox of gas turbine engines and an improved lubricant baffle apparatus.